Slowly, I am settling in here. I moved in with my host family on Wednesday – a mother and her college age daughter – and am beginning to acclimate to their routine and to incorporate mine. They are very nice, but it is still quite an adjustment! They both speak French so we have been able to communicate pretty easily, but most of the time they speak darija (Moroccan Arabic) so I have no idea what is being said. They also watch a lot of Arabic soap operas, an activity where, again, I have no idea what is being said. While this may hinder my French improvement, it has kick started me into learning darija. Everyone knows I love to talk, so if they won’t use a language I know I will learn the language they use!
Luckily, there are no males in the household. I say luckily because just about anything you do here can be viewed as provocative in front of a male: being in your pjs, stretching, laying down, even whistling! I am quite happy to not to have to deal with this particular cultural difference.
In an effort to get out of the house (and away from the soap operas) a group of us went to the beach today, which was absolutely incredible. The contrast of colors and textures was beautiful and it felt so refreshing to be cool while out in the sun. Swimming in my bikini was probably the first time I have felt appropriately dressed for the weather since I arrived.
The dress code here is fascinating. I expected the most traditional women to be dressed in djellabas (long sleeved, hooded robes) and headscarves, and the more modern women in pants or long skirts and unrevealing tops. And while I had the right idea with the traditional style of dress, I was way off on modern women’s Moroccan fashion. I have seen skinny jeans, tank tops, mini skirts, leggings, and sundresses. Everything I was told had to be covered – knees, thighs, shoulders, cleavage, even midriff! – has been exposed. Agdal, the neighborhood my school is located in, is especially noticeable for this Western style dressing. It makes it extremely difficult for us Americans to fit in. We are too conservative for the modern group – in order to avoid harassment – and too uncovered for the traditionalists. I am definitely looking forward to the cool weather so I can feel comfortably for both the weather and the modern style.
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